Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society
Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society

Watermedia Mastery

Open Online Exhibit January 2 – March 31, 2026 | Online
Deadline is December 17th. Open to Members and Non-Members.
Barely Above a Whisper (cropped) by Carol Carter
Barely Above a Whisper (cropped) by Carol Carter
Open Calls

Opens October 15, 2025.

Open for entry on October 15, 2025.
Deadline for entry: December 17, 2025

About Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society (SCVWS)

SCVWS membership is open to all members of the public, and all skill levels from beginner to professional. The predecessor organization to SCVWS was established in 1967 as a group of artists who gathered to paint outdoors. They initiated a short newsletter that showed maps to the painting sites. As interest in the society grew, they started to invite well-known watercolorists to give demonstrations and workshops. Over the years, our interests and activities have grown, and SCVWS now offers workshops and demonstrations that are open to the public, given by nationally known artists in watermedia, lecture/discussions about art, art exhibits and various social functions.

About the Online Exhibition

The Watermedia Mastery Open is presented by the Santa Clara Valley Watercolor Society (SCVWS). Join us for the inaugural Watermedia Mastery Open, an exclusive online competition and exhibition that celebrates the vibrancy and diversity of all types of watermedia. This juried showcase not only offers artists the opportunity to vie for prestigious awards and critical acclaim but also serves as a conduit to esteemed jurors, renowned galleries, and discerning art collectors who will view the online showcase and have the opportunity to embrace a wide spectrum of artistic expression.

Judge of Awards

Carol Carter, MAWA, MHAC, carol-carter.com
Carol Carter is an internationally recognized artist whose career has spanned more than 35 years. Carol has taught workshops for over 30 years, as well as in university. Her paintings have been in many national and international exhibitions, both juried and invitational. She has been featured in global publications including International Arts Magazine, Art of Watercolour, Watercolor Artist, and L’Aquarelle Magazine. She was honored with Master Signature Member status by the American Women Artists and the Heartland Art Club. She recently exhibited in “Making Their Mark: American Women Artists” at the Booth Western Art Museum. She is the recent recipient of 2020 Snehil Lifetime Achievement Award, Snehilsrijan, India. She has exhibited her work in Europe, China, Hong Kong, USVI, Morocco and throughout the United States. She has frequently served as a juror in art exhibitions both on national and international levels. She is on the advisory board of the American Watercolor Weekly.

Jurors of Selection

Yvonne Newhouse, SWA, yvonnenewhouse.com
Yvonne is an award-winning watercolor and silk scarf artist. She is a Signature Member of the Society of West-Coast Artists (SWA) and a member of SCVWS. Her works can be viewed in the Portola Art Gallery in Menlo Park at the Allied Arts Guild and her website.

Peter Carey, SCVWS, petercareypaintings.com
Peter primarily paints in watercolors. His paintings have been displayed at Galleries and Museums across America including the George Krevsky Gallery, The Tempe Center for the Arts, The Triton Museum and the Salmagundi Club in New York. His work has been featured in the French magazine “Pratique des Arts”, on the cover of “Splash 17” and in “Watercolor Artist” magazine. Currently, 20 of his paintings are on the walls of Crepes Bistro at 57 Washington St. in Santa Clara, CA.

Please read this prospectus carefully.

Online Location

Show will be posted on the ShowSubmit website for viewing. A link will also be posted on the SCVWS website.

Eligibility

This competition is open to all watermedia artists 18 years of age or older.

Entry Submission

If you do not have an account at ShowSubmit, you must register online before midnight per the registration deadline.

Juror

A panel of two judges will make initial selections & 1 judge will make the final selections for awards. Artists will receive an email with acceptance & award information.

Entry Fees

  • SCVWS Members: $35 first entry, $5 per additional entry
  • Non-Members: $55 first entry, $10 per additional entry
  • MAXIMUM of five (5) entries total.
Note: up to 3 entries per artist may be accepted. Fees must be paid online when you register on ShowSubmit. All fees are non refundable.

Cash Awards

First Place: $600, Second Place: $400, Third Place: $200 & 3 Honorable Mention awards: $50 each.

Artwork Eligibility

  • All types of watermedia are eligible, with a small bit of collage allowed.
  • Artwork must be waterbased/watermedia only and completed in the last five (5) years.
  • Artwork must be the artist’s original work and conceived by the artist.
  • Artwork cannot be a direct copy of a copyrighted** work, including work by other artists, images from magazines or other printed material, or materials/images from the internet.
  • Artwork created through a reference photograph is allowed if the image used was also an original image/photograph taken by the artist or the artist has permission in writing to use the photo.
  • There is no size limitation, but images of artwork must meet the criteria as stated in the “Criteria for Photographs of Artwork”.
  • Diptych, triptych or other multiple works are not currently accepted for online shows.
  • Artwork accepted into a previous Watermedia Mastery Open is not eligible.
  • ANY questions regarding artwork, framing, show criteria, etc., should be asked Prior to registration. Contact an SCVWS Show Coordinator at [email protected] with any questions or concerns regarding artwork eligibility or for help with entry.
Note: *Collage must also meet copyright standards. For clarification, please see this link.

**Copyright and Fair Use Exceptions - for clarification, please visit this link.

Registration Process online through ShowSubmit

  • Artists must register and establish an account on the ShowSubmit website to enter the exhibit.
  • You may register up to Wednesday, December 17, 2025 until midnight.
  • Sign into the artists only section and click on the registration link. You may submit up to two (2) entries that meets the following:
    • A digital photo attached that meets the criteria as stated in the “Criteria for Photographs of Artwork” listed below and listed on the ShowSubmit website.
    • Artist’s name will be published in the online presentation, along with the title of the image, the image dimensions and the price given to ShowSubmit by the artist.
    • Entry must meet all the Exhibit Rules that are not otherwise stated herein.
    • A guide for registering and artwork submission is available to print and is also located on the ShowSubmit website.

Criteria for Photographs of Artwork

  • All artwork submissions must be in digital format using the online site showsubmit.com.
  • A maximum of five (5) images from each artist may be submitted.
  • Images should depict the complete work and be cropped to show only the work and not the mat or the frame.
  • Image should be clearly focused and be a jpg format, under 30mb and at least 1,500 pixels on the longest side (i.e. 5" at 300 dpi).
  • Images that show frames and/or mats, are blurry or not properly cropped will not be accepted.
  • Images that do not meet the criteria listed here will not be accepted.

Responsibilities of Participants

  • Artists should make sure that they get confirmation of registration. Artist should check their spam/junk mail folder or their notifications in their ShowSubmit account prior to contacting SCVWS regarding lack of confirmation.
  • Each artist will help to publicize the event. (email, Facebook, Instagram, post flyers, postcards, etc.).
  • All insurance, if deemed necessary, is the responsibility of the artist.
  • Artists agree to follow all the SCVWS Exhibit Rules that are not otherwise stated herein.

Terms and Conditions

SCVWS reserves the right to use Artist images for promotional purposes of the exhibition and by entering this show, the artist consents to the use of any and or all their images in future. Any copyright issues will be the liability of the artist.

Additional Notification Information

Notifications will be emailed and posted in your ShowSubmit account by the end of the day on December 22, 2025.

You may view the notification in your ShowSubmit account by logging in and tapping the Notifications at the top right of the screen, or in your Entry History.

If you do not receive your email, login and view the notification in your account. We cannot respond to inquiries regarding the status of notifications.

Note: Entries made prior to 2023 may not display the View Notification link.

Image and Filename Specifications

  • File Format: Submit original, high-quality JPEG image files. Other formats (e.g., PNG, TIFF) are not accepted.
  • Crop Your Image: Ensure only the artwork itself is visible in the image. Do not show any visible matting, frames, or background distractions.
  • Orientation: Make sure your image is oriented correctly (right side up) so that the artwork appears in its intended viewing direction.
  • Image Size: You do not need to resize your image files before uploading. The system will automatically resize them. Smaller images cannot be enlarged to meet the requirements, so ensure your images are high resolution before uploading.
  • File Names: You do not need to rename your files before uploading them. The system will handle any file naming requirements.
  • File Size: There is a 30mb maximum file size limit. Larger image files will take longer to upload and process.

Additional Entry Information

  • You will pay for your entry by credit or debit card using our secure checkout system.
  • After your entry is submitted and paid for, you may log back in to review your entry, edit artist and image information, and add or substitute images up until the entry deadline (December 17, 2025.)
  • Entry fees are not refundable and must be submitted and paid by the entry deadline.
  • Entries cannot be accepted or changed after the deadline. Incomplete entries will be disqualified.

Support

For questions about SCVWS or this Prospectus, please contact Susan Butler-Graham & Susan Jochheim ([email protected] ).

For technical support or entry questions, first check our Help Center or Entry Guide. If you still need help, email ShowSubmit Support ([email protected]). We’ll respond between 9am and 6pm Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.